Hungarian cinema experienced its golden age during the interwar period, with the rise of studios like Corvin Filmgyár and the emergence of directors like Michael Curtiz. Unfortunately, Hungary’s interwar backslide into authoritarianism led to the emigration of most of its emerging talents, and the post-war period from the 1940s to the 60s saw Hungary slide into a national cinema of typically dull values under a state-controlled film production. It would take until the 1960s for art cinema to start building.

Miklos Jancso was the first major name, with his films on freedom and oppression filled with long takes and carefully choreographed camera movements, helping define slow cinema. He would be followed by Bela Tarr (Arguably the most acclaimed filmmaker of the 90s-2000s) and more recently by Ildikó Enyedi, whose magical realist films have been a consistent favourite in film festivals.